The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-02-05
Out yon119 Beople.
80 MARY HAD A LITTLE LAME" "

met with one this summer which CLASS
with not the least pleasant of my life. 1t
was at o hotel in New Hampshire, where
I was staying for few weeks.
One day some guests arrived. My at
tentlon was attracted by an elderly lady
who sat at the same table. She was about
eighty years of age, and wonderfully well
and vigorous, digni6ed, but affable in
manner. was introduced to her. Soon 1t
was rumored that she was the original
Mary who had little lamb. had heard
of Mary more than forty-fve years ago,
and had learned about the lamb that
everywhere that Mary went was sure~to
90; and about its going to school one day,
which was contrary to the rule; and l had
classed Mary Gf ever there was Mary
who lad that particular lamb) with Moth
or Goose and Mother Hubbard, and sup
posed that adventure was in the last cent
ury, for had heard persons much older
than myself speak of learning that little
piece when they were children.
After dinner, Mary was seated in the
parlor; she was asked to tell the tale OF
her little lamb, which she did. had the
good fortune to be in the parlor at the
time and heard the story told with most
charming simplicity, and will tell it to
you:
Mary said that she was born in Worces-
fer county, Mass. Her father had large
farm, and when she was eight or nine
wears old she used to go with her father
to look after the lambs, and one day her
father told her that two or three little
lambs had been born, and she went with
him to look at them. As they drew near
her father called her attention to one that
was apparently dead. 1t seemed SO very
little and SO pretty that Mary's heart was
touched. She went up to it and affection
ately touched it and moved it's head
slightly.
"Mary," said her father, that lamb is
dead"
"No. papa" said she, it is not; for
when move it's head it will move it back
again."
"But it cannot live"
"Oh, yes, may be it cam" said Mary;
"let me take it home and nurse it and
tend it."
So she took it home. She knew that
her mother gave the little children cat
nip to strengthen them; SO she made
some catnip tea and gave it to the lamb
All that day she nursed it and sat up with
it almost all of the night. After a while
she gave it some warm milk, and it lived
and grew.
Mary had little sound that she made
that was halfway between a scream and
a song, and no matter where the lamb
was, when it heard that note it would
run to Mary. One morning she had not
seen it. She always made it point to see
her lamb before she went away in the
morning; but this morning she had not
so had started for school. She gave her
usual signal and the lamb came running
SO fast and joyfully that those who were
with Mary helped it over the stone wall
and it went with them to school. Mary
could not turn it away, and yet when
she got to the school she did not know
what to do with it. But she thought she
might keep it quiet; so she took it In be.
fore the teacher came, and put 1t down
under her seat and covered it up with hel
shawl.
Mary said she never studied so hard IL
her life as she did that morning. She
did not want the teacher to look that way
for fear he would see the lamb. But
when the time came to say the lesson, the
scholars in Mary's class had to go out
and stand along a certain crack there was
in the floor; and what should happen but
the moment Mary started the lamb start
ed and went right forward and stood OF
the crack with Mary. This seemed very
funny, and the scholars laughed, and MOI
only the scholars, but the teacher. But
after a while sit made the scholars laugh
and play, to see lamb in school" so the
teacher put it out and fastened it up II
the woodshed.
In the town where Mary lived, there
was a young man who was studying tt
be a minister. His name was John Roll
stone, and John Rollstone used to go to
lily pond past Mary's house to get some
lilies; and one or two mornings after the
lamb had been to school, he stopped ano
handed Mary these verses:
Mary had little lamb,
His fleece was white as snow;
And everywhere that Mary went
The lamb was sure to go.
He followed her to school one day,
Which was against the rule;
1t made the children laugh and play,
To see lamb at school.
But soon the teacher turned him out,
And still he fingered near,
And waited patiently about,
Till Mary did appear.
These verses Mary lost come time after
ward, and never could tell what became
of them. Mary said that the lamb lived
for some years and had two or three
lambs of it's own after while; but al
last it died. She was inconsolable. She
loved il with all her heart; many broth
or never loved his sister any more thar
Mary loved the lamb. When it dice
Mary's mother knit her two pairs Of
Il -.